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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 116 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: season · ruler · hide · track · fine · face · rush · present

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. present — a gift
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. season — of the year
  5. fine — high quality
  6. present — there
  7. season — in sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. present — the time now
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. track — a path
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fine — all right
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. track — to keep track

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