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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. last — finally
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bat — the animal
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. last — final
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. face — to confront
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. snap — to click
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — to recline
  21. last — to go on
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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