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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. face — part of the head
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. face — to point toward
  21. craft — a skill
  22. kick — in football
  23. fork — to eat with
  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