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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. net — for catching
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. net — after costs
  7. object — an aim
  8. track — to keep track
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — a thing
  11. firm — steady
  12. bat — the animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. net — in sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a path
  19. object — to protest
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. track — a song
  22. rock — music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rock — a stone

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