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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: foot · swing · face · lie · mug · deal · saw · hand

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. face — to point toward
  7. deal — to handle
  8. face — to confront
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mug — a face
  11. foot — a measure
  12. swing — to play on
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mug — to rob
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — part of the head
  18. swing — music
  19. hand — in cards
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mug — a cup
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. swing — in golf
  24. foot — 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