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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: fine · net · face · coach · pop · rest · squash · track

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. net — for catching
  3. squash — the sport
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pop — soda
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fine — high quality
  10. track — to keep track
  11. face — part of the head
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pop — to visit
  14. track — a path
  15. rest — a break
  16. track — a song
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fine — all right
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. net — after costs
  21. face — to confront
  22. net — in sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — a penalty

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