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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. spring — of water
  5. can — a tin
  6. pop — music
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spring — the season
  13. pop — soda
  14. pit — a hole
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — to grow
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. pop — to visit

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