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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. spell — magic
  4. face — part of the head
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — for sport
  8. spell — letters
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stand — to bear
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. court — of law
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. spell — a short time
  20. face — to confront
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mine — for digging
  24. court — of a king

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