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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. snap — to click
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fall — the season
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — to handle
  12. chip — for betting
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. band — a music group
  17. fall — to drop
  18. face — to point toward
  19. chip — to eat
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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