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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rock — music
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rock — a stone
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. court — of law
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. craft — boats
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. court — for sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. suit — in cards
  20. deal — to handle
  21. court — of a king
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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