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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. face — part of the head
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mark — a trace
  6. deal — to handle
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. face — to point toward
  10. prune — to trim
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lie — to recline
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. face — to confront

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