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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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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bulb — for light
  6. face — to point toward
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. current — happening now
  9. face — to confront
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. current — of water
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. snap — to click
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. current — electric
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bulb — of a plant

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