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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 116 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. vault — a safe
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rest — what's left
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. stem — to come from
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rest — a break
  17. craft — boats
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mug — a face
  24. stem — a stem cell

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