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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fine — high quality
  5. ball — a great time
  6. face — to confront
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. game — a match
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. present — there
  11. fine — all right
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. present — a gift
  15. game — wild animals
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. object — to protest
  21. present — the time now
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ball — a dance
  24. kick — with a leg

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