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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. content — the amount
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — happy
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kid — child
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lie — to recline

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