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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. face — to confront
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fall — the season
  9. face — part of the head
  10. chest — of your body
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chest — of your body
  14. land — to come down
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. land — a country
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. vault — a safe
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. land — ground
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. face — to point toward

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