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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 120 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: content · face · deal · bay · chip · shower · cap · rest

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — of ice
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. chip — to eat
  8. content — the amount
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rest — a break
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cap — a hat
  14. shower — rain
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. chip — for betting
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. shower — to wash
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rest — what's left
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. content — videos and posts

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