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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. 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. bay — a horse colour
  2. can — a tin
  3. ground — the earth
  4. court — of law
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. ground — crushed
  7. court — of a king
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. can — a tin
  10. present — there
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ground — a position
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — to point toward
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. face — part of the head
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. court — for sport
  24. 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