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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — a price
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — to point toward
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lie — to recline
  12. charge — electricity
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. face — to confront
  15. row — a line
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. roll — a list
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. roll — a cake
  20. charge — in control
  21. wax — to grow
  22. row — to paddle
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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