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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. face — to point toward
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. plane — a tool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. lie — to recline
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. cue — a signal
  11. key — in music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cue — a hint
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bass — low music
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bass — the fish
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. kid — child
  22. face — to confront
  23. cue — for pool
  24. plane — in geometry

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