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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. object — an aim
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. club — for dancing
  9. object — a thing
  10. club — for golf
  11. file — a line of people
  12. current — happening now
  13. object — to protest
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. file — a tool
  16. deal — to handle
  17. current — electric
  18. file — a document
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. club — a group
  23. mate — a partner
  24. current — of water

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