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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. face — to point toward
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. net — in sport
  10. face — part of the head
  11. track — a song
  12. kick — in football
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — after costs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. snap — to click
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. net — for catching
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. track — a path
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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