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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · face · cell · march · can · leaves · pitcher · bowl

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. march — the month
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — a tin
  10. march — music
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. face — to confront
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. march — the month
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. face — to point toward
  21. cell — in biology
  22. can — a tin
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. face — part of the head

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