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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mate — a partner
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. face — to confront
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mate — to breed
  15. row — to paddle
  16. face — to point toward
  17. row — a line
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mate — a friend
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. face — part of the head

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