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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. face — to point toward
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. present — the time now
  7. face — to confront
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. file — a tool
  12. present — a gift
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. file — a line of people
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. face — part of the head
  17. file — a document
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. present — there
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — to lash out

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