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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bear — the animal
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. club — for dancing
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bear — the animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. snap — to click
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. band — a ring
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. band — a music group
  24. mark — a grade

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