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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. dip — to sink
  4. court — of law
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ground — a position
  9. key — for a lock
  10. court — for sport
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ground — the earth
  17. key — in music
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. court — of a king
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rock — music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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