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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 116 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bat — the animal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. face — part of the head
  8. track — a song
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. mate — to breed
  11. vault — a safe
  12. track — a path
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront

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