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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. face — to confront
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. kid — child
  16. kick — in football
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kid — to tease
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. face — part of the head
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pound — a weight
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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