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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. present — the time now
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. current — happening now
  7. present — there
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. present — a gift
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — to confront
  15. current — electric
  16. bear — the animal
  17. current — of water
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — to point toward
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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