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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. present — a gift
  7. face — part of the head
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. present — the time now
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. present — there
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. tube — the underground
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. tube — a container

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