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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. court — of law
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. face — to confront
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rock — a stone
  10. club — for dancing
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. club — a group
  13. face — to point toward
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. court — of a king
  16. face — part of the head
  17. dip — to sink
  18. club — for golf
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rock — music
  24. coach — a trainer

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