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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. net — for catching
  4. deal — to handle
  5. net — in sport
  6. swing — music
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. swing — to play on
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ground — the earth
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stand — to bear
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. scale — in music
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. net — after costs
  20. can — a tin
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ground — crushed
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. ground — a position

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