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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: content · cabinet · pass · spring · calf · stem · lie · face

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. content — the amount
  3. face — part of the head
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. face — to confront
  6. spring — the season
  7. stem — to come from
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. spring — of water
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — to recline
  21. content — happy
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pass — a permit

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