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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. spell — magic
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pit — in a race
  5. spell — a short time
  6. pit — a hole
  7. spell — letters
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. squash — to crush
  11. staff — employees
  12. vault — a safe
  13. squash — the sport
  14. last — final
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. can — a tin
  20. face — to confront
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. face — to point toward
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. last — finally

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