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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. face — to point toward
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. face — to confront
  5. season — of the year
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. row — a line
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. season — in sport
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. row — to paddle
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. suit — in cards
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. face — part of the head

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