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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
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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: lie · mark · mate · hide · net · foot · face · court

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. face — to point toward
  5. net — after costs
  6. court — of law
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. net — in sport
  10. mark — a grade
  11. net — for catching
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lie — to recline
  15. court — of a king
  16. face — to confront
  17. mark — a trace
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mate — a partner
  20. court — for sport
  21. face — part of the head
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. foot — the bottom

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