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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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Word bank
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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stand — to bear
  4. spell — letters
  5. rest — a break
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — a tin
  12. spell — a short time
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spell — magic
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rest — what's left
  21. can — a tin
  22. cue — a hint
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cue — for pool

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