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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. face — to confront
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. face — to point toward
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rest — a break
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pop — music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. tear — to rip
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pop — soda
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. tear — from crying
  24. squash — to crush

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