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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. face — to point toward
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. face — to confront
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. firm — decided
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. face — part of the head
  17. squash — to crush
  18. foot — a measure
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. pop — soda
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the sport

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