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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cell — in biology
  3. firm — steady
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. present — a gift
  8. rock — music
  9. season — in sport
  10. firm — decided
  11. swing — in golf
  12. firm — a company
  13. present — there
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. present — the time now
  17. rock — a stone
  18. season — of the year
  19. swing — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cell — a phone
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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