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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. face — to point toward
  3. last — to go on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — in cards
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. face — part of the head
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. hand — help
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. face — to confront
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. chest — of your body

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