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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lie — to recline
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. club — for dancing
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pound — a weight
  14. face — to confront
  15. ball — a dance
  16. club — for golf
  17. lean — thin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. club — a group
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. lean — to bend

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