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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lie — to recline
  8. craft — boats
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bass — the fish
  11. kick — in football
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — part of the head
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bass — low music
  22. fine — all right
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bark — to shout

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