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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rash — hasty
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rush — hurry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. face — to confront
  17. craft — boats
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rash — a series
  24. lie — to recline

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