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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. can — a tin
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. current — happening now
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — electric
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wound — an injury
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. content — happy
  20. current — of water
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. temple — side of the head

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