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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. squash — the sport
  5. deal — to handle
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rule — government
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rock — music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — boats
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rule — a law
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bark — to shout

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