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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.

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: face · mug · bear · fork · ball · wave · arm · bore

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bore — to tire
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fork — in a road
  23. mug — a face
  24. bear — to put up with

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