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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: bowl · face · leaves · rule · tube · suit · jam · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rule — a law
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. suit — clothes
  10. staff — a stick
  11. face — part of the head
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. face — to point toward
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. tube — a container
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. face — to confront
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. suit — in cards
  21. tube — the underground
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rule — government
  24. tube — in a tire

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