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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. firm — a company
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fine — all right
  10. lean — thin
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wake — a trail
  15. firm — steady
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. firm — decided
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fine — high quality
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cap — a lid
  24. lean — to bend

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