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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.

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: present · bound · coach · face · fine · rash · hand · staff

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rash — a series
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. present — the time now
  5. bound — certain
  6. staff — employees
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bound — tied together
  9. staff — a stick
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. hand — help
  13. present — a gift
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. staff — employees
  16. rash — hasty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hand — in cards
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. present — there
  22. bound — obliged
  23. face — part of the head
  24. hand — part of the body

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