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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pitch — completely
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mug — a cup
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rest — a break
  12. prune — to trim
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stock — a soup base

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