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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. face — to confront
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lie — to recline
  5. current — happening now
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. face — part of the head
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ball — a dance
  12. game — a match
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — electric
  16. game — wild animals
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. current — of water
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a round shape

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