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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. object — an aim
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — to protest
  5. face — to point toward
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. object — a thing
  13. firm — steady
  14. face — part of the head
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. firm — decided
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. staff — employees
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lie — to recline
  24. firm — a company

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