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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bass — low music
  8. face — part of the head
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rest — a break
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. game — a match
  22. sharp — clever
  23. game — wild animals
  24. suit — clothes

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