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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. firm — decided
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. charge — a price
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. board — a committee
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. board — to get on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. deal — to handle
  20. charge — electricity
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — in control
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wind — moving air

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