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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bank — of a river
  6. deal — to handle
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — letters
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lie — to recline
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. toast — bread
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. spell — magic
  24. toast — the most admired

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