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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. land — ground
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. deal — to handle
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. race — humankind
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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