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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: face · coach · saw · charge · rest · bowl · lean · net

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — in sport
  9. rest — what's left
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — to confront
  16. lean — to bend
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. charge — in control
  21. lean — thin
  22. rest — a break
  23. face — to point toward
  24. charge — electricity

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