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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bulb — for light
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. face — part of the head
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. face — to confront
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. land — a country
  15. face — to point toward
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rash — hasty
  18. hand — help
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bulb — for light

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