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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cue — for pool
  11. race — the arms race
  12. face — to point toward
  13. dip — to sink
  14. toast — bread
  15. bass — the fish
  16. race — humankind
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bass — low music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. race — a contest
  24. face — to confront

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