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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. current — of water
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rash — hasty
  6. lean — thin
  7. rash — a series
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. spell — magic
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. spell — letters
  16. current — electric
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. current — happening now
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lean — to bend
  21. suit — to fit
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spell — a short time

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