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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rock — music
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. root — the cause
  5. court — of a king
  6. face — to point toward
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. court — of law
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — to recline
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stand — to bear
  19. face — to confront
  20. root — of a word
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. court — for sport
  24. stand — on your feet

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