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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rest — what's left
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mug — to rob
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mug — a face
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rest — a break
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rest — what's left
  16. face — part of the head
  17. squash — to crush
  18. face — to confront
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. game — a match
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. racket — for tennis

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