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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: bank · game · court · foot · bulb · temple · face · row

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bulb — for light
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. court — for sport
  7. game — a match
  8. bank — of a river
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. row — to paddle
  14. face — to confront
  15. foot — a measure
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bulb — for light
  18. face — to point toward
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. row — a line
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. foot — part of the body

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