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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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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: stand · root · swing · hide · spell · face · race · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — the cause
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — magic
  5. race — a contest
  6. swing — in golf
  7. root — of a plant
  8. swing — music
  9. race — humankind
  10. stand — to bear
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spell — letters
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. root — of a word
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lie — to recline
  19. swing — to play on
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. face — to confront
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. face — to point toward

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