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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — to recline
  7. firm — a company
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — to point toward
  10. rest — what's left
  11. face — to confront
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — a break
  14. bank — for money
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pound — a weight
  17. firm — steady
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. march — the month
  20. face — part of the head
  21. march — music
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — decided

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