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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mark — a trace
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — to handle
  8. firm — steady
  9. hand — in cards
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. row — a line
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — decided
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mark — a grade
  20. sharp — clever
  21. firm — a company
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. sharp — with an edge

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