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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: racket · spell · kid · face · ruler · leaves · cell · lie

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. spell — letters
  10. face — part of the head
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cell — in biology
  13. spell — magic
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cell — a phone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. face — to confront
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — to tease
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. face — to point toward

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