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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. scale — size or range
  3. race — humankind
  4. swing — in golf
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. swing — to play on
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. swing — music
  11. race — a contest
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. face — to confront
  19. scale — in music
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. vault — a safe

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