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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. shower — to wash
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pound — a weight
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cell — in biology
  8. shower — rain
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cell — a phone
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — the most important part

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