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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. firm — steady
  6. suit — clothes
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bore — to drill
  10. band — a ring
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bore — to tire
  13. band — a music group
  14. ground — crushed
  15. firm — a company
  16. ground — the earth
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — to fit
  23. firm — decided
  24. wave — of the sea

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