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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pass — a permit
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. snap — to click
  17. face — part of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. face — to confront
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. face — to point toward
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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