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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: face · pass · dip · deal · ruler · squash · band · fork

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. face — to confront
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. squash — the sport
  6. dip — to sink
  7. face — part of the head
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. face — to point toward
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. band — a music group
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — to crush
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. band — a ring
  24. pass — a permit

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