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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 120 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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mug — a face
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mug — to rob
  6. face — to point toward
  7. cell — a phone
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rest — a break

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