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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cold — an illness
  4. land — ground
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — to come down
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — not warm
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. land — a country
  18. bear — the animal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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