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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. season — in sport
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. net — for catching
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. season — of the year
  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