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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. land — ground
  5. board — to get on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. land — to come down
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. face — to point toward
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. snap — to click
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. face — to confront
  21. land — a country
  22. board — a committee
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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