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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. march — the month
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. land — a country
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. face — to point toward
  10. shower — rain
  11. land — ground
  12. deal — to handle
  13. shower — to wash
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. land — to come down
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rock — music
  19. march — the month
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. march — music

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