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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. tear — to rip
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cap — a hat
  6. face — part of the head
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — a line
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. root — the cause
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cap — a lid
  14. root — of a plant
  15. face — to confront
  16. root — of a word
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cap — of ice
  19. tear — from crying
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. tear — from crying
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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