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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. face — part of the head
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cell — in biology
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cell — a phone
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. face — to confront
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wound — an injury
  15. snap — to click
  16. can — a tin
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bank — for money
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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