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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · stick · stand · face · lie · march · hand · calf

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lie — to recline
  3. march — the month
  4. face — to point toward
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. march — the month
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — to confront
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. march — music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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