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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: face · can · pit · capital · bear · fan · cell · ball

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. face — to confront
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a great time
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. pit — in a race
  17. capital — money
  18. can — to be able to
  19. capital — a city
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. cell — a phone
  24. face — part of the head

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