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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bat — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — thin
  21. stand — to bear
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bowl — a dish

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