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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. object — an aim
  5. can — to be able to
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. object — to protest
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lean — to bend
  17. can — a tin
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. object — a thing
  24. fan — a supporter

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