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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. lean — thin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. lean — to bend
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fork — in a road
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. face — to point toward
  24. cap — a hat

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