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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mark — a trace
  3. face — to point toward
  4. ball — a dance
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rush — hurry
  8. deal — to handle
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. face — to confront
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. sharp — exactly

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