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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 · toast · bowl · present · mouse · tube · saw · ball

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. tube — the underground
  3. face — to point toward
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. saw — the tool
  7. present — the time now
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. tube — a container
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. face — to confront
  14. present — a gift
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. face — part of the head
  21. toast — bread
  22. present — there
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. toast — the most admired

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