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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chest — of your body
  8. firm — a company
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. suit — clothes
  11. tear — to rip
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. firm — decided
  16. spell — a short time
  17. chest — a box
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. tear — from crying
  20. spell — letters
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spell — magic
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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