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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. content — happy
  3. root — of a word
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. root — of a plant
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stand — to bear
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. face — to confront
  20. lie — to recline
  21. face — part of the head
  22. march — the month
  23. content — the amount
  24. face — to point toward

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