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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. tear — from crying
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bear — the animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. court — of a king
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. court — of law
  20. bulb — for light
  21. face — to confront
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  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