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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: pit · lie · race · wave · coach · kick · face · leaves

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lie — to recline
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. race — humankind
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. race — a contest
  17. pit — in a race
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. kick — in football
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. face — part of the head
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. face — to confront

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