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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. object — a thing
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spring — of water
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. face — to confront
  10. spring — the season
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. object — an aim
  15. face — to point toward
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — to bear
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — part of the head
  24. plane — a tool

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