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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 120 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: court · sharp · mug · saw · plane · bowl · face · fork

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. face — to confront
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. face — part of the head
  9. court — of law
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mug — to rob
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. face — to point toward
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. court — for sport
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mug — a face
  24. saw — the 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