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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: coach · wind · ruler · lie · pass · club · saw · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — for golf
  6. face — to point toward
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — a permit
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — to recline
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. club — for dancing
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. club — a group
  24. face — to confront

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