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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wound — an injury
  4. scale — in music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. object — a thing
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. lean — to bend
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lean — thin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. scale — size or range
  19. face — to confront
  20. wound — an injury
  21. object — to protest
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — to point toward
  24. nail — for a hammer

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