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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. face — part of the head
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. face — to point toward
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bear — the animal
  13. face — to confront
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — a committee
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. board — to get on
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. capital — a city

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