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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. march — the month
  3. rest — what's left
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — part of the head
  6. march — the month
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. net — in sport
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. face — to point toward
  14. net — for catching
  15. rest — a break
  16. ground — a position
  17. net — after costs
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ground — crushed
  20. season — in sport
  21. march — music
  22. season — of the year
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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