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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. face — to confront
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wound — an injury
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. net — after costs
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rule — a law
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — government
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. rest — a break
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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