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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: ball · deal · can · tube · stick · perch · face · land

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. face — to confront
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. face — part of the head
  6. ball — a dance
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. land — ground
  10. can — to be able to
  11. face — to point toward
  12. land — to come down
  13. tube — a container
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ball — a great time
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — a tin
  22. land — a country
  23. deal — to handle
  24. can — a tin

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