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

Word bank: lie · mark · deal · bowl · chest · rest · ball · face

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chest — of your body
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. face — to point toward
  10. chest — a box
  11. lie — to recline
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rest — what's left
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. ball — a great time
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. lie — an untruth

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