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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ball — a dance
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. row — to paddle
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bulb — for light
  15. row — a line
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mark — to pay attention

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