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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: cabinet · face · calf · deal · lie · rush · spring · arm

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — of water
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lie — to recline
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. arm — part of the body

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