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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rest — what's left
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. fall — to drop
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bass — low music
  11. spell — letters
  12. rest — a break
  13. spell — magic
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — the fish
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fall — the season
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rest — what's left

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