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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cue — a signal
  5. plane — a tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. charge — a price
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bat — the animal
  10. face — to confront
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bulb — for light
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. face — part of the head
  15. charge — in control
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. snap — to click
  21. charge — electricity
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cue — for pool
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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