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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. date — the fruit
  3. can — to be able to
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. face — to confront
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — a position
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. ground — the earth
  20. can — a tin
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ground — crushed
  24. spring — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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