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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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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: face · coach · rush · stand · deal · track · dip · snap

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. track — a path
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. rush — hurry
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. face — to confront
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. track — to keep track
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stand — to bear
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. track — a song
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. face — to point toward
  23. dip — to sink
  24. face — part of the head

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