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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pitch — completely
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cue — a signal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. face — part of the head
  14. spring — the season
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cue — for pool
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cap — a lid
  20. face — to confront
  21. cap — a hat
  22. spring — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a hint

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