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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. squash — to crush
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rash — hasty
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mug — a face
  10. face — part of the head
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rash — a series
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. capital — money
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. file — a document
  18. face — to confront
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mug — to rob
  21. squash — the sport
  22. deal — to handle
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — a big letter

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