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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lean · content · bass · arm · face · deal · cue · spell

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. content — happy
  6. face — to confront
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. deal — to handle
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bass — the fish
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cue — a signal
  14. spell — magic
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bass — low music
  17. lean — thin
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. face — to point toward
  21. content — the amount
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cue — a hint

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