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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. shower — rain
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. swing — to play on
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mug — a cup
  7. swing — music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. can — to be able to
  12. court — of law
  13. shower — to wash
  14. face — to confront
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. swing — in golf
  21. chip — for betting
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — for sport

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