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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: game · face · ruler · cabinet · kid · object · bear · deal

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. object — a thing
  3. game — a match
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. face — to confront
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kid — child
  15. object — an aim
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. face — to point toward
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — to protest
  24. game — wild animals

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