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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: fan · court · mark · chip · date · foot · lie · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chip — for betting
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. date — the fruit
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. court — of law
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. court — of a king
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mark — a grade
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. court — for 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