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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · deal · game · stick · mine · face

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. face — part of the head
  14. game — a match
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mine — for digging

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