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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. face — to confront
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. charge — a price
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fine — high quality
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wind — moving air
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. mate — a friend
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mate — to breed
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fine — all right
  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