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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: cue · rash · bulb · foot · present · ball · face · straw

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rash — hasty
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. face — to point toward
  13. present — the time now
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rash — a series
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — a gift
  19. bulb — for light
  20. present — there
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cue — a hint
  24. straw — a straw man

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