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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. hand — help
  9. face — part of the head
  10. spring — the season
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. face — to confront
  16. bulb — for light
  17. saw — the tool
  18. vault — a safe
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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