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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 do anything ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — certain
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rash — a series
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bulb — for light
  17. can — a tin
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mark — a grade
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mark — to pay attention

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