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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: mark · fan · bass · leaves · face · court · fork · cue

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bass — low music
  5. cue — a signal
  6. court — of a king
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. face — to confront
  11. mark — a trace
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fork — a garden tool

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