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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. face — to confront
  4. capital — a city
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pass — a permit
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. capital — money
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. face — to point toward
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lie — to recline
  15. board — to get on
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. board — a committee
  24. lie — an untruth

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