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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. firm — decided
  2. deal — to handle
  3. kid — child
  4. rule — government
  5. kick — in football
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. firm — steady
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cap — a hat
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. firm — a company
  21. rule — a law
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — a lid
  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