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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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. last — finally
  4. rest — what's left
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mug — to rob
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. face — to confront
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. ball — a great time
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rest — a break
  15. land — to come down
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. last — final
  20. face — part of the head
  21. land — ground
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. land — a country
  24. ball — a dance

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