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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 120 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: content · can · saw · leaves · chip · face · object · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. face — to point toward
  3. object — to protest
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — happy
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. face — part of the head
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. object — an aim
  10. can — a tin
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. object — a thing
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — for betting
  20. content — the amount
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  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