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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. face — to point toward
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stock — goods
  7. face — part of the head
  8. capital — money
  9. stock — shares
  10. face — to confront
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. capital — a city

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