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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. last — final
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. saw — the tool
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. last — finally
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. vault — a safe
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. last — to go on
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. face — to point toward
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bass — low music
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bass — the fish
  24. saw — the tool

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