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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: face · tube · racket · lean · pop · lie · fan · board

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lean — to bend
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pop — soda
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — music
  9. tube — the underground
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pop — to visit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — thin
  17. tube — a container
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. board — a committee
  22. lie — to recline
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. tube — in a tire

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