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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a skill
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ball — a dance
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. craft — boats
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rest — what's left
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rest — a break
  24. deal — to handle

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