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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.

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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: suit · band · rock · tear · lie · face · fine · dip

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. face — part of the head
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. face — to point toward
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. band — a ring
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fine — high quality
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. tear — to rip
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fine — all right
  21. face — to confront
  22. rock — music
  23. band — a music group
  24. dip — a sauce

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