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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a great time
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — a price
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. club — for golf
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. face — to confront
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. club — a group
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. face — part of the head
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ball — a dance

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