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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.

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: cell · face · dip · pass · charge · prune · coach · lean

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. charge — electricity
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cell — in biology
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. charge — a price
  9. prune — to trim
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cell — a phone
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. face — part of the head
  22. charge — in control
  23. lean — thin
  24. coach — a trainer

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