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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: pass · mouse · court · wave · face · foot · dip · bat

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. dip — to sink
  4. face — part of the head
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of a king
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. court — of law
  10. face — to point toward
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bat — the animal
  16. face — to confront
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pass — to spend time

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