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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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. chair — a leader
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — to recline
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. can — to be able to
  12. row — a line
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. face — to confront
  24. kick — with a leg

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