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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: bark · arm · bear · foot · face · lean · racket · rush

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. face — to confront
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. face — to point toward
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lean — thin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bark — to shout
  24. lean — to bend

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