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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: bowl · current · deal · spell · bat · nail · arm · face

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — magic
  7. current — electric
  8. face — to confront
  9. deal — to handle
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. current — of water
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. spell — a short time
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. face — to point toward
  19. current — happening now
  20. bat — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. face — part of the head
  23. spell — letters
  24. arm — 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