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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. land — ground
  5. kid — child
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. land — a country
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — part of the head
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kid — to tease
  14. land — to come down
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bank — of a river
  17. face — to confront
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. kick — in football
  24. cue — a hint

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