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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cue — a signal
  3. face — part of the head
  4. cue — for pool
  5. band — a music group
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. field — a subject
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cue — a hint
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. spring — of water
  13. field — farmland
  14. band — a ring
  15. spring — a coil
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. face — to confront
  19. field — for sport
  20. spring — the season
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. face — to point toward
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. vault — a safe

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