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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. face — to confront
  4. wax — to grow
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bark — to shout
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bound — certain
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bound — tied together

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