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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. roll — a list
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. roll — a cake
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — government
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rest — what's left
  14. present — there
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. deal — to handle
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — a skill

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