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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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Word bank
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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. spell — magic
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. club — a group
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rest — a break
  14. face — to confront
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. spell — a short time
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. club — for golf
  21. spell — letters
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. rest — what's left

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