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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. land — ground
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. root — the cause
  15. fall — the season
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fall — to drop
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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