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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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. firm — a company
  4. fall — the season
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. stem — to come from
  8. present — a gift
  9. cell — a phone
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. firm — decided
  13. cell — in biology
  14. present — there
  15. fall — to drop
  16. can — to be able to
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. present — the time now
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. firm — steady

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