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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. firm — a company
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. toast — bread
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bat — the animal
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. scale — in music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. firm — steady
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. firm — decided

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