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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 120 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.

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: tear · suit · face · drill · pitcher · mate · leaves · lie

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. face — to point toward
  3. tear — to rip
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — army training
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mate — a friend
  11. face — part of the head
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. face — to confront
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — in cards
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mate — a partner
  24. leaves — lets stay

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