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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. face — to confront
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. season — of the year
  7. face — to point toward
  8. tube — a container
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. face — part of the head
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chest — of your body
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. season — in sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. foot — a measure
  23. chest — a box
  24. tube — in a tire

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