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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 124 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cap — a hat
  4. face — to confront
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cap — a lid
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. board — to get on
  10. mate — to breed
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mate — a partner
  13. stock — shares
  14. board — a committee
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. face — to point toward
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cap — of ice
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stock — goods
  21. mark — a trace
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mate — a friend

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