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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. firm — a company
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mate — to breed
  6. key — in music
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — to handle
  9. perch — the fish
  10. suit — in cards
  11. firm — steady
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mate — a friend
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. row — a line
  16. mate — a partner
  17. firm — decided
  18. row — to paddle
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bulb — of a plant

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