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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bat — the animal
  4. face — to point toward
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. season — in sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pound — a weight
  23. face — part of the head
  24. season — of the year

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