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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. staff — employees
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. face — to point toward
  6. snap — to click
  7. face — to confront
  8. mug — a face
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. staff — employees
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fine — high quality
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. fine — all right
  18. mug — to rob
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. deal — to handle
  23. face — part of the head
  24. fine — a penalty

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