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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. deal — to handle
  4. firm — a company
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. firm — decided
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pound — a weight
  14. firm — steady
  15. degree — temperature
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mug — a face
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. degree — from a university
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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