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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. kid — child
  3. face — to confront
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. kid — to tease
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — the animal
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. face — part of the head
  15. deal — to handle
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. board — to get on

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