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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rash — hasty
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. face — to confront
  7. race — a contest
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stand — to bear
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. race — humankind
  15. rash — a series
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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