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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cap — a lid
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fall — the season
  8. rule — government
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. snap — to click
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. craft — a skill
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rule — a law
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lie — to recline
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. craft — boats

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