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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. track — a path
  11. face — to confront
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. track — a song
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. track — to keep track
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. plane — a tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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