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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. court — of law
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. court — of a king
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. face — part of the head
  15. court — for sport
  16. stock — goods
  17. ball — a great time
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — shares
  20. ball — a dance
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ground — crushed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ball — a round shape

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