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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lean — thin
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. kick — in football
  11. pit — in a race
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. prune — to trim

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