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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. face — to confront
  6. rash — a series
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. roll — a cake
  22. rash — hasty
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pound — a weight

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