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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rash — a series
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pop — to visit
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. face — to point toward
  15. can — a tin
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bass — low music
  19. season — of the year
  20. can — a tin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. season — in sport
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. season — to add flavour

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