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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. hand — in cards
  5. fine — all right
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. vault — a safe
  12. present — the time now
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. game — wild animals
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hand — help
  24. face — to confront

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