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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. track — a path
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rush — hurry
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mine — for digging
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. track — a song

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