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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chair — a leader
  3. current — of water
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rock — music
  13. current — electric
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cap — a hat
  17. spring — the season
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. spring — of water
  20. current — happening now
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cap — a lid
  23. spring — a coil
  24. chair — to sit on

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