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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. face — to point toward
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mug — a cup
  5. club — for golf
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. face — part of the head
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mug — a face
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. club — a group
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ground — crushed
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ground — the earth
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mug — to rob
  23. club — for dancing
  24. face — to confront

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