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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. craft — boats
  4. land — ground
  5. rest — a break
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. face — to confront
  12. clip — a video
  13. land — to come down
  14. rest — what's left
  15. land — a country
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. clip — for paper
  18. craft — a skill
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. clip — to cut
  24. rest — what's left

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