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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: face · dip · squash · hide · ground · foot · safe · lie

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. face — to confront
  4. foot — a measure
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lie — to recline
  13. face — part of the head
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. face — to point toward
  17. squash — to crush
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ground — a position
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. squash — the sport
  23. dip — to sink
  24. safe — out of danger

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