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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · face · lie · sharp · fall · coach · roll · calf

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. face — to point toward
  3. lie — to recline
  4. face — to confront
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. face — part of the head
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cue — a signal
  13. roll — a cake
  14. cue — a hint
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fall — the season
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. sharp — clever

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