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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.

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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: stand · present · cap · key · wave · face · fork · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. face — to confront
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. present — the time now
  6. season — of the year
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. key — in music
  12. present — a gift
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. present — there
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. cap — a lid
  18. face — part of the head
  19. stand — to bear
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. key — the most important part

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