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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. deal — to handle
  4. net — in sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ground — the earth
  11. net — for catching
  12. firm — steady
  13. net — after costs
  14. firm — a company
  15. prune — to trim
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ground — a position
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — child
  23. ground — crushed
  24. prune — the fruit

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