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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mug — a face
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — to recline
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. face — to confront
  12. mug — a cup
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. row — a line
  17. net — for catching
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lie — an untruth

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