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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bank — for money
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bank — of a river
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. swing — to play on
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. swing — music
  20. rest — a break
  21. deal — to handle
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mark — a trace

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