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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 116 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cell — in biology
  4. deal — to handle
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. net — after costs
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mark — a trace
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. net — for catching
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. net — in sport
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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