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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. club — a group
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. club — for golf
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bat — the animal
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mug — to rob
  13. club — for dancing
  14. staff — employees
  15. mug — a cup
  16. staff — employees
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mug — a face
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stem — to come from
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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