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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pass — a permit
  4. march — music
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. march — the month
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — to succeed

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