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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. club — for golf
  10. pass — a permit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. court — of a king
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pit — a hole
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. face — part of the head
  17. court — of law
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. court — for sport
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pit — in a race

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