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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.

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: drill · deal · arm · bear · current · lie · face · hand

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lie — to recline
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. current — happening now
  7. face — to confront
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — army training
  11. current — electric
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hand — help
  15. drill — the tool
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. hand — in cards
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. face — to point toward
  23. current — of water
  24. bear — the animal

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