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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: fine · date · toast · ball · rock · pop · face · lie

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pop — music
  4. ball — a great time
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. face — to confront
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pop — to visit
  10. toast — bread
  11. ball — a dance
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. fine — all right
  15. pop — soda
  16. face — to point toward
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rock — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fine — high quality

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