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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. land — ground
  3. suit — in cards
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wax — to grow
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. land — a country
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mark — a grade
  16. land — to come down
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. suit — to fit
  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