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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: kick · spell · last · lie · face · hand · fork · arm

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. spell — magic
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. last — finally
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fork — in a road
  7. kick — in football
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. hand — help
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — to confront
  15. lie — to recline
  16. last — final
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. last — to go on
  20. hand — in cards
  21. spell — letters
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. spell — a short time
  24. hand — part of the body

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