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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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. jam — in traffic
  3. game — a match
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. net — after costs
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. press — a publisher
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. net — in sport
  11. cue — for pool
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rash — a series
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. game — wild animals
  19. net — for catching
  20. press — to push
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — newspapers
  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