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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — the most important part
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — to confront
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — in music
  21. shower — rain
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. face — part of the head

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