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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
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: lie · wave · ball · cabinet · track · face · squash · content

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. track — to keep track
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — part of the head
  9. content — the amount
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ball — a great time
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. content — happy
  15. track — a song
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a path
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. lie — to recline
  23. face — to confront
  24. cabinet — ministers

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