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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. face — to point toward
  4. last — finally
  5. net — in sport
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cap — a hat
  8. face — part of the head
  9. cap — a lid
  10. perch — the fish
  11. last — to go on
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cap — of ice
  16. vault — a safe
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — to breed
  19. last — final
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — to confront
  22. net — after costs
  23. mate — a partner
  24. net — for catching

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