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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to click
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. current — electric
  5. march — music
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. march — the month
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. season — in sport
  10. face — to point toward
  11. season — of the year
  12. current — happening now
  13. face — to confront
  14. current — of water
  15. march — the month
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. face — part of the head
  20. toast — bread
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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