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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — obliged
  16. court — for sport
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. toast — bread
  20. suit — to fit
  21. court — of a king
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. court — of law

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