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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. ball — a great time
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ball — a dance
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. face — part of the head
  19. game — a match
  20. cue — a hint
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. deal — an agreement

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