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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: foot · hide · court · file · wave · mouse · jam · face

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. court — of a king
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. court — for sport
  5. file — a line of people
  6. face — part of the head
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. court — of law
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. file — a tool
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. face — to confront
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. file — a document
  24. foot — the bottom

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