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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. clip — for paper
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. deal — to handle
  13. clip — a video
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rash — hasty
  19. root — of a word
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. clip — to cut

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