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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. court — of a king
  6. fork — in a road
  7. track — a path
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. court — for sport
  12. tear — from crying
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. court — of law
  16. tear — to rip
  17. tear — from crying
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. face — to confront
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. chair — a leader

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