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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: craft · roll · court · toast · bulb · bank · face · chair

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. court — for sport
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bank — for money
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. roll — a cake
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. court — of law
  9. craft — boats
  10. face — to point toward
  11. roll — a list
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. chair — a leader
  18. toast — bread
  19. bank — for money
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. court — of a king
  22. face — to confront
  23. bulb — for light
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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