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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. spell — a short time
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spell — magic
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. land — to come down
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stand — to bear
  11. land — a country
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. land — ground
  17. chest — of your body
  18. spell — letters
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chest — a box
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. toast — bread

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