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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · rule · face · deal · kick · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. face — part of the head
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. face — to point toward
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — to confront
  10. rule — a law
  11. deal — to handle
  12. kick — in football
  13. mug — to rob
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rule — government

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