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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. suit — in cards
  3. craft — boats
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. leaves — lets stay

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