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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cap — a hat
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. swing — in golf
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. swing — to play on
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. kick — in football
  18. swing — music
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — to point toward
  21. cap — a lid
  22. face — to confront
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cap — of ice

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