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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — to tire
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bore — to drill
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. staff — employees
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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