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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. face — to confront
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. face — part of the head
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. swing — to play on
  12. face — to point toward
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. band — a music group
  21. object — a thing
  22. tube — a container
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. band — a ring

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