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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. club — a group
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lie — to recline
  6. face — part of the head
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. club — for dancing
  10. face — to confront
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — army training
  15. club — for golf
  16. fine — all right
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fine — high quality
  20. kid — to tease
  21. roll — a cake
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bank — for money
  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