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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pass — a permit
  4. race — humankind
  5. content — happy
  6. rash — a series
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — an aim
  9. content — the amount
  10. deal — to handle
  11. object — a thing
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — hasty
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lie — to recline
  18. object — to protest
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. face — to point toward
  22. race — a contest
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pass — to spend time

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