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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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. season — in sport
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. degree — from a university
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. foot — a measure
  9. degree — temperature
  10. plane — a tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. swing — in golf
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. swing — music
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stem — to come from
  23. season — of the year
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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