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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 · club · ball · spring · mark · object · kick · squash

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. club — for golf
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ball — a great time
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mark — a trace
  8. face — to point toward
  9. club — for dancing
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. face — to confront
  13. spring — a coil
  14. club — a group
  15. spring — of water
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. kick — in football
  18. spring — the season
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. face — part of the head
  22. ball — a dance
  23. object — to protest
  24. squash — the sport

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