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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: last · fine · wake · jam · staff · bowl · face · cap

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wake — a trail
  5. last — finally
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cap — a lid
  8. last — final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. staff — employees
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. last — to go on
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fine — all right
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. fine — high quality
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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