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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. face — to confront
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in biology
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rash — a series
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. shower — rain
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wax — to grow
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wax — in the ear

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