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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. face — part of the head
  4. march — music
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. game — a match
  8. face — to confront
  9. game — wild animals
  10. march — the month
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. sharp — clever
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. face — to point toward

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