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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. net — after costs
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pop — soda
  11. game — a match
  12. face — to point toward
  13. net — in sport
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pop — music
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. net — for catching
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. face — to confront
  24. suit — in cards

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