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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: kid · lie · bank · face · tube · cue · deal · wave

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cue — a hint
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. tube — a container
  8. face — to confront
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cue — for pool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — of a river
  16. cue — a signal
  17. kid — to tease
  18. face — to point toward
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bank — for money
  24. kid — child

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