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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. mug — a face
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. present — a gift
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. season — of the year
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. present — the time now
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. present — there
  20. deal — to handle
  21. firm — a company
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. season — in sport

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