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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. face — part of the head
  5. shower — to wash
  6. cue — for pool
  7. firm — a company
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pop — soda
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. shower — rain
  12. face — to confront
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. face — to point toward
  17. firm — decided
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. firm — steady
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bat — the animal

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