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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mark — a trace
  6. clip — for paper
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. face — part of the head
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. clip — to cut
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. face — to confront
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. clip — a video
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — in control
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. charge — a price

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