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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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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: calf · rest · chest · pop · ruler · hide · deal · face

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. face — part of the head
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pop — to visit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. deal — to handle
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chest — of your body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pop — music
  24. deal — a big deal

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