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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lie — to recline
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — part of the head
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lean — thin
  13. fork — in a road
  14. key — in music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bore — gave birth

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