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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fall — to drop
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fall — the season
  8. land — to come down
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. land — a country
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stand — to bear
  17. land — ground
  18. fall — to drop

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