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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. face — to point toward
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. cap — a hat
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bulb — for light
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bulb — for light
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. foot — a measure
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. cap — of ice
  24. face — part of the head

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