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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: charge · ruler · suit · bear · face · lie · spell · season

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. suit — to fit
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — part of the head
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spell — letters
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. spell — a short time
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. charge — in control
  16. season — of the year
  17. charge — a price
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — magic
  20. season — in sport
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bear — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lie — an untruth

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