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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 120 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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. face — to confront
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — for pool
  6. last — finally
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. object — a thing
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cue — a signal
  17. snap — to click
  18. object — to protest
  19. last — final
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. deal — to handle
  24. last — to go on

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