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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. club — a group
  6. snap — to click
  7. tear — to rip
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. tear — from crying
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fine — all right
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bulb — for light
  15. club — for golf
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. club — for dancing
  18. deal — to handle
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — to confront
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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