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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. suit — in cards
  4. deal — to handle
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rash — hasty
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rash — a series
  15. pit — a hole
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. suit — clothes

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