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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. track — a path
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — government
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. face — to point toward
  15. track — to keep track
  16. face — to confront
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. track — a song
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rule — a law

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