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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. court — of a king
  3. fall — the season
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fall — to drop
  6. face — part of the head
  7. court — of law
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ball — a dance
  11. firm — a company
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. firm — decided
  15. face — to point toward
  16. track — a path
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — clothes
  19. track — to keep track
  20. court — for sport
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fall — to drop
  23. kick — in football
  24. track — a song

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