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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.

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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. row — a line
  3. degree — from a university
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. degree — temperature
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. degree — an amount
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. staff — a stick
  17. suit — clothes
  18. row — to paddle
  19. face — part of the head
  20. lie — to recline
  21. face — to confront
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. face — to point toward
  24. coach — a trainer

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