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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rest — what's left
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rest — a break
  9. drill — army training
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ball — a dance
  18. drill — a practice
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. drill — the tool

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