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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tube — a container
  3. club — for golf
  4. object — a thing
  5. can — to be able to
  6. face — to point toward
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. can — a tin
  9. bark — to shout
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. club — a group
  12. tube — the underground
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. face — part of the head
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. face — to confront
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. object — an aim
  21. club — for dancing
  22. object — to protest
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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