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

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pass — a permit
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mate — a friend
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. face — to point toward
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. deal — to handle
  14. face — to confront
  15. mate — a partner
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. face — part of the head
  18. coach — a trainer

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