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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. drill — army training
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — a hint
  6. face — to point toward
  7. deal — to handle
  8. roll — a list
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cue — a signal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. face — to confront
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — for pool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rule — a law
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rule — government
  24. drill — a practice

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