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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. net — for catching
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bulb — for light
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. face — part of the head
  10. plane — a tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. face — to confront
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bulb — for light
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. rush — hurry
  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