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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rush — hurry
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stem — to come from
  7. club — a group
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. spell — a short time
  10. club — for golf
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spell — letters
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spell — magic
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. vault — a safe
  18. club — for dancing
  19. shower — rain
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rush — to hurry
  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