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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pop — music
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. court — of a king
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — of law
  12. bat — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — to visit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. court — for sport
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pop — soda
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lie — an untruth

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