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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. spring — the season
  5. face — part of the head
  6. net — in sport
  7. fine — all right
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitch — completely
  10. spring — of water
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spring — a coil
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fine — high quality
  20. face — to confront
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. net — for catching
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. net — after costs

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