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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. present — the time now
  4. deal — to handle
  5. present — a gift
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. firm — a company
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. present — there
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cold — not warm
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. object — an aim
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cold — an illness

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