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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. net — in sport
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rock — a stone
  6. face — to confront
  7. net — after costs
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. face — part of the head
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rock — music
  20. wax — to grow
  21. net — for catching
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bulb — of a plant

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