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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. net — in sport
  4. face — part of the head
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rest — a break
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — a trail
  15. deal — to handle
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. net — for catching
  18. face — to confront
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. dip — to sink
  23. current — happening now
  24. net — after costs

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