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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
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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: ball · mine · bay · face · object · rash · saw · mate

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. face — to confront
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mate — a friend
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ball — a great time
  17. object — an aim
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. object — to protest
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. object — a thing

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