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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 124 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. march — the month
  3. face — to confront
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. march — music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — the fish
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. face — part of the head
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. lean — thin
  20. wake — a trail
  21. face — to point toward
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. march — the month

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