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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wound — an injury
  5. object — a thing
  6. face — to confront
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wound — an injury
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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