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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bore — to tire
  5. face — to point toward
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — a company
  10. mark — a grade
  11. firm — steady
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mark — a trace
  16. band — a music group
  17. face — to confront
  18. firm — decided
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bore — to drill

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