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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: lie · fall · fine · bay · leaves · current · cap · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. current — of water
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. cap — a hat
  5. face — to confront
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fine — high quality
  11. current — happening now
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lie — to recline
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. current — electric
  21. fine — all right
  22. cap — of ice
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fine — a penalty

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