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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. firm — steady
  3. face — to confront
  4. bank — for money
  5. court — of law
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — decided
  9. court — of a king
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. perch — the fish
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a great time
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — a company
  18. key — in music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. face — part of the head
  23. court — for sport
  24. key — the most important part

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