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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spring — of water
  3. object — an aim
  4. swing — in golf
  5. scale — size or range
  6. face — to point toward
  7. object — a thing
  8. suit — clothes
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. object — to protest
  12. suit — to fit
  13. swing — music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. swing — to play on
  16. face — part of the head
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in biology
  19. spring — a coil
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. face — to confront
  22. spring — the season
  23. lie — to recline
  24. scale — in music

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