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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 116 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 ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of law
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pop — music
  6. court — of a king
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rule — a law
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. band — a music group
  11. face — to confront
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pop — soda
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pop — to visit
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. band — a ring
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. lie — an untruth

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