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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 116 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. row — to paddle
  4. court — of a king
  5. suit — to fit
  6. season — of the year
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stem — to come from
  10. row — a line
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. court — of law
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. deal — to handle
  20. court — for sport
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. season — in sport
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. row — a quarrel

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