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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bear — the animal
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. firm — a company
  6. race — humankind
  7. firm — decided
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. deal — to handle
  11. current — happening now
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. firm — steady
  14. rest — what's left
  15. band — a ring
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. shower — rain
  18. band — a music group
  19. rest — a break
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. race — a contest
  24. deal — a big deal

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