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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.

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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. band — a ring
  4. staff — employees
  5. band — a music group
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lie — to recline
  10. vault — a safe
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. face — to point toward
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. face — part of the head
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. can — a tin
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. face — to confront
  24. can — a tin

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