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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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. face — to point toward
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fall — the season
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pit — a hole
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. face — to confront
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wake — a trail
  24. face — part of the head

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