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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. swing — to play on
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — all right
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rush — hurry
  16. lie — to recline
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fork — in a road
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. deal — to handle

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