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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. last — finally
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. club — a group
  10. scale — size or range
  11. club — for dancing
  12. content — happy
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. last — final
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. content — the amount
  18. pound — a weight
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. scale — in music
  23. last — to go on
  24. club — for golf

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