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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: bass · mouse · bat · suit · lie · calf · rock · face

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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. bass — low music
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rock — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. rock — a stone
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bat — the animal

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