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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 116 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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468
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 · bowl · straw · fine · deal · bass · suit · mate

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. face — to confront
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — clothes
  5. deal — to handle
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. suit — in cards
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fine — all right
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mate — a friend

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