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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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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: face · ball · fork · deal · net · lean

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. lean — to bend
  6. face — to point toward
  7. fork — in a road
  8. net — after costs
  9. lean — thin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. net — in sport
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. face — to confront
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. net — for catching
  18. deal — an agreement

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