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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cap — a hat
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. net — for catching
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wind — moving air
  13. branch — a division
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wind — moving air
  16. net — in sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. net — after costs
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cap — a lid

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