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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: face · mine · squash · calf · deal · perch · ruler · bay

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. face — part of the head
  3. deal — to handle
  4. face — to confront
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. squash — the sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. calf — a young animal

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