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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 120 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: fall · pass · lie · band · ball · coach · face · stand

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. band — a ring
  10. face — to point toward
  11. band — a music group
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fall — the season
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ball — a dance
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. coach — a trainer

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