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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 116 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
468
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: track · kick · scale · stand · lie · racket · face · bulb

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. track — a song
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. scale — in music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kick — in football
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. track — to keep track
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stand — to bear
  20. scale — size or range
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. racket — a loud noise

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