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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · bowl · kick · row · rock · face · toast · key

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. face — to confront
  3. toast — bread
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. face — part of the head
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rock — a stone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rock — music
  13. face — to point toward
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. row — a line
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. kick — in football

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