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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: trunk · face · sharp · cap · stick · mate · rush · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cap — of ice
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — hurry
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mate — a partner
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mate — to breed
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cap — a lid
  24. sharp — clever

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