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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · lie · spring · face · key · swing · ball · foot

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spring — a coil
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. face — to point toward
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. swing — to play on
  8. face — part of the head
  9. foot — a measure
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. face — to confront
  12. lie — to recline
  13. swing — in golf
  14. perch — the fish
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — music
  21. ball — a great time
  22. spring — the season
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spring — of water

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