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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stock — shares
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. file — a tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stock — goods
  23. file — a document
  24. wake — before a funeral

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