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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. degree — an amount
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. degree — temperature
  6. face — to confront
  7. degree — from a university
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rule — a law
  10. fall — the season
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rule — government
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. face — to point toward

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