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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pass — a permit
  8. firm — a company
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. can — to be able to
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pop — soda
  15. can — a tin
  16. pop — to visit
  17. firm — steady
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pop — music
  20. face — part of the head
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fork — in a road
  23. firm — decided
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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