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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — in sport
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. tube — a container
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pass — a permit
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rash — a series
  21. face — to confront
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. season — of the year
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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