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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. tube — a container
  3. face — part of the head
  4. last — final
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. last — finally
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mine — for digging
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. row — a line
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lie — to recline
  20. face — to confront
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. last — to go on

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