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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bound — certain
  5. deal — to handle
  6. can — a tin
  7. game — wild animals
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. squash — the sport
  11. rash — a series
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rule — a law
  14. present — a gift
  15. can — a tin
  16. game — a match
  17. can — to be able to
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rash — hasty
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bound — obliged

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