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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.

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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 · fork · rule · jam · face · firm · wax · track

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. track — a path
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rule — government
  5. face — to point toward
  6. firm — steady
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fork — in a road
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. track — a song
  13. firm — a company
  14. rule — a law
  15. face — to confront
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wax — to grow
  20. face — part of the head
  21. firm — decided
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — to eat with

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