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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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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. firm — a company
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. press — to push
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. firm — decided
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — to handle
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. firm — steady
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. key — in music
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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