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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. object — an aim
  3. cue — a hint
  4. deal — to handle
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pound — a weight
  7. court — of a king
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lean — thin
  10. court — for sport
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rash — hasty
  14. court — of law
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. object — to protest
  18. cue — a signal
  19. object — a thing
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. chair — a leader
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rash — a series

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