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

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. lean — thin
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. snap — to click
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fine — all right

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