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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · perch · mine · prune · vault · mate · mug · hide

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. face — to point toward
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mug — a face
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mate — a partner
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. face — part of the head
  20. prune — to trim
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. face — to confront

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