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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 124 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 don't need to ________________ round.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pop — to visit
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. can — a tin
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pop — soda
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. snap — to click
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pop — music
  18. deal — an agreement

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