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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: mug · bass · spring · jam · deal · face · staff · bowl

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bass — low music
  4. spring — a coil
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. face — to confront
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mug — a face
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. spring — of water
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. staff — employees
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. spring — the season
  17. bass — the fish
  18. deal — to handle
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. staff — a stick

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