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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: toast · lie · row · squash · bound · face · arm · object

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — part of the head
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. object — a thing
  5. lie — to recline
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. object — an aim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bound — certain
  14. toast — bread
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — to protest
  18. bound — tied together
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — obliged
  23. face — to point toward
  24. toast — the most admired

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