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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 124 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — a hint
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. face — to confront
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bound — tied together
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bound — certain
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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