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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cold — an illness
  3. face — part of the head
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cap — a lid
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cold — not warm
  12. firm — decided
  13. cap — of ice
  14. face — to point toward
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cap — a hat
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bulb — for light
  22. face — to confront
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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