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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hand — in cards
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. hand — help
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mark — a grade
  14. key — in music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. key — for a lock
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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