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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. scale — in music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wound — an injury
  6. face — to confront
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lean — to bend
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. lean — thin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. race — a contest
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. race — the arms race
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rock — music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. race — humankind
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. safe — out of danger

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