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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 covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wake — a trail
  4. chest — a box
  5. rest — what's left
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. vault — a safe
  12. root — of a plant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. root — the cause
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rest — a break
  19. root — of a word
  20. chest — of your body
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ground — a position
  24. face — to confront

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