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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — a company
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. firm — steady
  7. mark — a trace
  8. deal — to handle
  9. object — a thing
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. object — to protest
  12. fine — all right
  13. firm — decided
  14. object — an aim
  15. scale — in music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality

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