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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: face · row · season · toast · lie · snap · roll · leaves

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. face — to confront
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. face — part of the head
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. roll — a list
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. row — a line
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. lie — to recline
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. snap — to click
  19. face — to point toward
  20. toast — bread
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. row — to paddle
  23. roll — a cake
  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