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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: face · track · firm · perch · trunk · temple · lie · foot

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. face — to point toward
  4. track — a song
  5. firm — steady
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lie — to recline
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a path
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. track — to keep track
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. firm — decided
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. face — part of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lie — an untruth

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