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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · clip · mug · pit · face · temple · pop · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — a hole
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. mug — a cup
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda
  19. clip — to cut
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. face — to confront
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mug — a face
  24. pop — to visit

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