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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bulb — for light
  4. track — a path
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. tube — a container
  11. track — a song
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lie — to recline
  17. branch — a division
  18. face — to confront
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. tube — the underground

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