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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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. capital — money
  3. present — there
  4. land — to come down
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. land — ground
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. deal — to handle
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — a gift
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. present — the time now
  15. capital — a city
  16. can — a tin
  17. firm — decided
  18. land — a country
  19. pit — a hole
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. firm — a company
  24. can — to be able to

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