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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fine — all right
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. content — happy
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. tube — the underground
  15. face — to confront
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. content — the amount
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tube — a container

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