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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. squash — the sport
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. current — of water
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. drill — a practice
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. current — electric
  24. deal — an agreement

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