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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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. face — part of the head
  4. season — of the year
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stock — goods
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. face — to confront
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — the fish
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. season — in sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bass — low music
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. spell — letters

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