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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. face — part of the head
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. face — to confront
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. roll — a cake
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. drill — army training
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. roll — a list
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — the tool
  24. deal — an agreement

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