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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — decided
  4. present — there
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. face — to confront
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. present — a gift
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lie — to recline
  18. cue — for pool
  19. present — the time now
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. firm — steady
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cue — a signal
  24. lie — an untruth

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