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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. tear — from crying
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mark — a trace
  6. spring — of water
  7. tear — from crying
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. spring — the season
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. shower — rain
  17. tear — to rip
  18. vault — a safe
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — a grade
  24. spring — a coil

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