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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. staff — employees
  4. face — to point toward
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. squash — to crush
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — of the year
  11. drill — army training
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. staff — employees
  14. rest — a break
  15. drill — a practice
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. season — in sport
  19. squash — the sport
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rest — what's left
  24. season — to add flavour

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