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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lie — to recline
  5. swing — to play on
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rash — a series
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. swing — music
  16. club — a group
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. club — for golf
  19. rash — hasty
  20. club — for dancing
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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