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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pit — in a race
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. roll — a cake
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. deal — to handle
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — low music
  12. roll — a list
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bass — the fish
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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