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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. court — for sport
  3. craft — boats
  4. court — of a king
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. face — to confront
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. court — of law
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bound — certain
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — a skill
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. face — part of the head
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bound — obliged
  24. craft — a handicraft

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