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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. band — a ring
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. band — a music group
  10. rush — hurry
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — to confront
  16. wake — a trail
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hide — animal skin

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