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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: face · stand · temple · prune · mark · mug · land · fan

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. prune — to trim
  3. land — to come down
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mug — a face
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. land — a country
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mark — a trace
  16. land — ground
  17. face — part of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. face — to confront
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mug — a cup

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