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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · cell · ball · object · track · rash · bulb · nail

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. object — an aim
  3. track — a path
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rash — hasty
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — to keep track
  14. object — to protest
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. object — a thing
  17. face — to confront
  18. rash — a series
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. track — a song
  24. cell — in a prison

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