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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fall — the season
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rash — a series
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. last — final
  15. wound — an injury
  16. last — to go on
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fall — to drop
  22. last — finally
  23. rash — hasty
  24. fall — to drop

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