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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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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: deal · ruler · suit · root · lash · cabinet · face · bass

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bass — low music
  3. face — to confront
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — to handle
  8. face — part of the head
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. root — of a word
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — the cause
  19. bass — the fish
  20. suit — in cards
  21. face — to point toward
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ruler — for measuring

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