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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rule — a law
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rule — government
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fall — the season
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. face — to confront
  24. deal — to handle

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