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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. can — a tin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fork — in a road
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. face — to point toward
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — letters
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. spell — magic
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. face — to confront
  24. lie — to recline

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