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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. spring — of water
  2. can — a tin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spring — a coil
  7. face — to point toward
  8. can — to be able to
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pitch — completely
  13. face — part of the head
  14. craft — boats
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. spring — the season
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — a series
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rash — on the skin
  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