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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.

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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 · temple · track · court · lean · cue · bulb · coach

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. court — of law
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. court — of a king
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. court — for sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. face — to point toward
  14. cue — a signal
  15. face — to confront
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. face — part of the head

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