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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lean — thin
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. lie — to recline
  14. spell — letters
  15. lean — to bend
  16. face — to point toward
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spell — magic
  19. ground — the earth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ground — a position

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