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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lean — thin
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rash — hasty
  7. shower — to wash
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. shower — rain
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — a series
  15. toast — bread
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lean — to bend

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