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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 116 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: face · last · present · vault · lie · lash · tear · season

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. present — there
  3. vault — a safe
  4. season — of the year
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. present — the time now
  9. tear — from crying
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. last — final
  13. tear — to rip
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. last — finally
  16. face — part of the head
  17. last — to go on
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. tear — from crying
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — a gift
  22. season — in sport
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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