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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.

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: present · face · rock · hide · ball · spell · temple · foot

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. present — a gift
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. face — to point toward
  6. present — the time now
  7. face — part of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rock — music
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ball — a dance
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. spell — letters
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. present — there
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ball — a great time
  24. face — to confront

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