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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: safe · present · track · court · mug · bear · face · chip

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. mug — to rob
  5. court — of law
  6. mug — a cup
  7. track — a path
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mug — a face
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chip — for betting
  21. track — to keep track
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. track — a song
  24. present — the time now

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