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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. net — after costs
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. kick — in football
  13. lie — to recline
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. face — to confront
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pound — a weight
  21. net — in sport
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bowl — a dish

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