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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: mark · coach · tear · lean · bear · face · dip · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mark — a trace
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lean — thin
  10. dip — to sink
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. tear — to rip
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mark — a grade
  22. face — to confront
  23. rule — government
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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