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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: bowl · deal · foot · face · rest · wound · net · firm

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. face — part of the head
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. firm — steady
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rest — what's left
  11. face — to confront
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. firm — decided
  17. foot — a measure
  18. face — to point toward
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. deal — to handle
  24. net — after costs

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