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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: board · deal · kick · face · rash · spell · fine · firm

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rash — hasty
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. fine — all right
  5. board — to get on
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spell — magic
  8. face — part of the head
  9. kick — in football
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. face — to point toward
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. firm — decided
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fine — high quality
  17. firm — steady
  18. spell — a short time
  19. rash — a series
  20. firm — a company
  21. face — to confront
  22. spell — letters
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. kick — with a leg

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