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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. charge — electricity
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. face — to confront
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. bass — low music
  10. lie — to recline
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. track — a song
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. track — a path
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. face — to point toward
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. season — of the year
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. track — to keep track

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