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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 124 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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468
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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. face — part of the head
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. pass — a permit
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. face — to confront
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. temple — a place of worship

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