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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. staff — a stick
  3. present — the time now
  4. staff — employees
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. staff — employees
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rock — music
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rule — a law
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. prune — to trim
  15. present — there
  16. rule — government
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bat — the animal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. present — a gift
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rock — to move gently

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