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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rock — music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. face — part of the head
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. court — of law
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. suit — clothes
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. court — for sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. kid — child
  18. face — to point toward
  19. suit — to fit
  20. face — to confront
  21. kid — to tease
  22. court — of a king
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. foot — a measure

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