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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. drill — army training
  5. lie — to recline
  6. drill — a practice
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. face — to confront
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. band — a music group
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rock — music
  16. chair — a leader
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. band — a ring
  19. face — to point toward
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. toast — bread
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rock — a stone

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