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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. fine — all right
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. tear — from crying
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bound — tied together
  11. roll — a list
  12. suit — to fit
  13. roll — a cake
  14. tear — to rip
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. tear — from crying
  18. wax — to grow
  19. suit — clothes
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bound — certain
  23. scale — in music
  24. bound — obliged

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