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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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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. face — part of the head
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. suit — in cards
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. game — a match
  7. face — to confront
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. face — to point toward
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. wake — a trail
  18. net — after costs
  19. ball — a dance
  20. toast — bread
  21. net — in sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. staff — employees

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