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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pop — to visit
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pop — music
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. snap — to click
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. deal — to handle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pop — soda
  19. craft — a skill
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — boats
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mark — a grade
  24. row — a line

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