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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bank — for money
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bank — for money
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rash — a series
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. content — the amount
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. deal — to handle
  18. content — happy
  19. bank — of a river
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rash — hasty
  24. deal — an agreement

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