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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. deal — to handle
  6. band — a music group
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. snap — to click
  10. present — there
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pitch — completely
  13. present — a gift
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. content — happy
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rush — hurry
  22. band — a ring
  23. content — the amount
  24. ball — a great time

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