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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. perch — the fish
  3. field — for sport
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. face — to confront
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mug — a cup
  8. key — for a lock
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ball — a great time
  11. field — farmland
  12. face — to point toward
  13. field — a subject
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mug — to rob
  18. key — in music
  19. mug — a face
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. plane — an aircraft

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