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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. present — the time now
  3. firm — a company
  4. face — part of the head
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ball — a dance
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cell — in biology
  11. vault — a safe
  12. firm — decided
  13. present — a gift
  14. ball — a great time
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. firm — steady
  19. kid — child
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. face — to point toward
  22. kid — to tease
  23. face — to confront
  24. present — there

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