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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: face · lean · rash · tube · suit · deal · firm · land

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. firm — decided
  4. rash — hasty
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lean — thin
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — clothes
  10. tube — a container
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. suit — to fit
  13. face — to confront
  14. firm — steady
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rash — a series
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. land — ground
  22. lean — to bend
  23. firm — a company
  24. suit — in cards

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