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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 116 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. court — of law
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ball — a great time
  6. face — to point toward
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. court — for sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. face — to confront
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. face — part of the head
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. court — of a king
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. staff — a stick
  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