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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. stock — shares
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rest — what's left
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stock — goods
  17. rest — a break
  18. file — a tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fan — a supporter

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