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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. fall — the season
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fall — to drop
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. spring — a coil
  14. face — part of the head
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fall — to drop
  17. face — to confront
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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