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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.

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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. face — part of the head
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wake — a trail
  5. can — a tin
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — a tool
  8. lie — to recline
  9. face — to point toward
  10. current — happening now
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — electric
  13. dip — to sink
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. can — to be able to
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. current — of water

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