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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. face — part of the head
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ground — a position
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pop — music
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. tube — a container
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mug — to rob
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pop — soda
  20. ground — crushed
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ground — the earth
  23. face — to confront
  24. pop — to visit

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