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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 120 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. scale — size or range
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. band — a ring
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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