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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 · ball · bear · coach · net · capital · safe · stick

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. face — to confront
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. net — for catching
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. face — part of the head
  8. net — in sport
  9. face — to point toward
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bear — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. capital — money
  18. net — after costs
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. capital — a city
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — the animal

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