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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. face — to point toward
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. face — part of the head
  7. craft — boats
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. field — farmland
  13. craft — a skill
  14. field — a subject
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. roll — a list
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pit — in a race
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pit — a hole
  24. face — to confront

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