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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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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: leaves · pit · face · mine · snap · toast · lie · firm

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. toast — bread
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. face — to point toward
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pit — in a race
  9. firm — decided
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. firm — steady
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — a company
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. snap — to click

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