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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rock — music
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wax — to grow
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rock — a stone
  13. face — to confront
  14. fine — all right
  15. face — to point toward
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rest — a break
  18. kick — in football
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. kick — with a leg

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