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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. face — to confront
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. face — to point toward
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wound — an injury
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. spell — a short time
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. face — part of the head
  16. spell — magic
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. plane — a tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. spell — letters

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