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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 · hide · court · arm · fine · bowl · wave · bank

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. court — for sport
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bank — for money
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. face — part of the head
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. court — of a king
  23. face — to confront
  24. bowl — a dish

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