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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. field — for sport
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bound — certain
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. field — a subject
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. net — after costs
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. net — in sport
  16. bound — obliged
  17. chip — to eat
  18. face — part of the head
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — for catching
  21. face — to confront
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. field — farmland

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