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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. staff — employees
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. bat — the animal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rush — hurry
  24. deal — a big deal

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