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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 120 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. file — a document
  6. face — to point toward
  7. file — a line of people
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. face — part of the head
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — a law
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — to confront
  15. rule — government
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. file — a tool

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