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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pit — in a race
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mug — a face
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mug — a cup
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pit — a hole
  24. foot — a measure

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