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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. lie — to recline
  6. can — a tin
  7. season — in sport
  8. lean — to bend
  9. clip — to cut
  10. face — to confront
  11. season — of the year
  12. clip — a video
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. press — to push
  15. clip — for paper
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. face — part of the head
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. press — newspapers
  22. face — to point toward
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wake — a trail

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