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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. face — to point toward
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. file — a line of people
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. file — a document
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chip — to eat
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. file — a tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ball — a great time

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