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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. face — part of the head
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cue — a signal
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. face — to confront
  10. lie — to recline
  11. track — a path
  12. fall — the season
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fall — to drop
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wake — a trail
  18. face — to point toward
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cue — a hint
  21. track — a song
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cue — for pool
  24. track — to keep track

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