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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rock — a stone
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. net — after costs
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. net — for catching
  8. dip — to sink
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. drill — a practice
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. face — to confront
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. drill — army training
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bank — of a river
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com