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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. wake — a trail
  4. kid — to tease
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kid — child
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cap — a lid
  12. spell — a short time
  13. face — to confront
  14. spell — magic
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — a hat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. spell — letters
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. lie — to recline

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