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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rule — government
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. spell — letters
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rule — a law
  16. foot — a measure
  17. face — to confront
  18. foot — part of the body

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