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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. stem — to come from
  3. net — in sport
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pop — soda
  9. lie — to recline
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. net — after costs
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. net — for catching
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. face — to confront
  24. pitcher — a jug

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