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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. face — part of the head
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. game — a match
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — in football
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mark — a trace
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. face — to confront

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