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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 116 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. face — to point toward
  4. chair — a leader
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. clip — a video
  8. lean — thin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — to confront
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. clip — for paper
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. face — part of the head
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. clip — to cut
  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