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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. face — to point toward
  4. lie — to recline
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — happening now
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bass — low music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — clever
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. current — electric
  18. face — to confront
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bass — the fish
  22. deal — to handle
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. deal — an agreement

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