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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. key — for a lock
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bass — low music
  10. face — to confront
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. face — to point toward
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. key — in music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. face — part of the head
  24. arm — a part of something

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