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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: jam · face · ball · bay · rest · last · spell · lie

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. lie — to recline
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. last — to go on
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rest — what's left
  16. last — finally
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rest — a break
  24. last — final

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