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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. perch — the fish
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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