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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — the earth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. shower — rain
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rule — a law
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. ground — a position
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. shower — to wash
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rock — music
  22. wound — an injury
  23. suit — in cards
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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