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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — in football
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — a position
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bear — the animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ground — the earth
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ground — crushed
  17. face — to confront
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. dip — to sink
  23. net — in sport
  24. face — to point toward

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