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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spell — a short time
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. race — humankind
  7. spell — magic
  8. race — the arms race
  9. pitch — completely
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — clothes
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. suit — to fit
  15. spell — letters
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. deal — to handle
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. suit — in cards

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