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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. club — a group
  5. last — final
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kid — to tease
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bound — certain
  12. last — to go on
  13. face — to point toward
  14. club — for golf
  15. last — finally
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bound — tied together
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. plane — a tool
  21. club — for dancing
  22. kid — child
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — obliged

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