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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 120 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. deal — to handle
  11. face — to confront
  12. can — a tin
  13. face — to point toward
  14. file — a document
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. can — to be able to
  19. file — a tool
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ground — a position
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — the earth

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