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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. face — to point toward
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. file — a document
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. file — a line of people
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. file — a tool
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. object — a thing
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. bark — to shout
  22. face — part of the head
  23. object — to protest
  24. firm — a company

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