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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. hand — help
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. kick — in football
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. craft — boats
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. capital — a city
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. capital — money
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. hand — in cards
  24. kick — a thrill

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