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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: game · jam · toast · key · hide · wave · court · face

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. face — to point toward
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. key — for a lock
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. game — wild animals
  10. key — the most important part
  11. court — of a king
  12. toast — bread
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. court — of law
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. key — in music
  17. face — to confront
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. face — part of the head
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. court — for sport
  24. game — a match

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