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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. net — after costs
  3. file — a line of people
  4. object — a thing
  5. file — a document
  6. content — the amount
  7. net — in sport
  8. file — a tool
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. net — for catching
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. content — happy
  19. object — to protest
  20. face — to point toward
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. object — an aim
  24. safe — out of danger

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