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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mug — to rob
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stem — to come from
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. clip — a video
  16. tear — from crying
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mug — a face
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mug — a cup

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