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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. last — to go on
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. club — a group
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. club — for golf
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. club — for dancing
  11. chip — for betting
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. last — final
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. last — finally
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pound — a weight
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bat — the animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. deal — a big deal

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