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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lie — to recline
  7. face — to confront
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pop — music
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pop — soda
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. face — to point toward

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