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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: stick · rush · wound · face · mark · hide · deal · rest

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. deal — to handle
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rush — hurry
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rest — a break
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — a trace
  19. face — to confront
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mark — to pay attention

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