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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bear — the animal
  7. face — to confront
  8. court — for sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. court — of a king
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bank — of a river
  18. root — of a plant
  19. court — of law
  20. root — the cause
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. root — of a word
  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