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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · rush · face · present · mark · charge · racket · wax

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. present — a gift
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. charge — in control
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. lie — to recline
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. charge — a price
  21. face — part of the head
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mark — a grade

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