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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: race · stand · present · hide · face · charge

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. face — part of the head
  8. present — a gift
  9. charge — electricity
  10. face — to confront
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. race — the arms race
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. present — the time now
  15. race — a contest
  16. present — there
  17. stand — to bear
  18. face — to point toward

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