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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. foot — a measure
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stand — to bear
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — a division
  7. game — a match
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — to handle
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. game — wild animals
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. foot — part of the body

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