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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bulb — for light
  12. face — to confront
  13. current — of water
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lie — to recline
  22. deal — to handle
  23. kick — in football
  24. bulb — for light

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