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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
468
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: leaves · content · foot · capital · scale · stand · face · straw

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. scale — in music
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. content — happy
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. capital — money
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. face — part of the head
  21. capital — a city
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. face — to point toward

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