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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ball — a great time
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. face — to point toward
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. face — to confront
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ball — a dance
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rest — a break
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rest — what's left
  20. perch — the fish
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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