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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. face — to point toward
  3. deal — to handle
  4. face — to confront
  5. bulb — for light
  6. field — for sport
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. staff — employees
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. field — farmland
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. field — a subject
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. staff — employees
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. staff — a stick

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