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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. clip — a video
  3. squash — to crush
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. deal — to handle
  9. firm — steady
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fine — all right
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. firm — a company
  17. squash — the sport
  18. clip — for paper
  19. toast — bread
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fine — high quality
  23. clip — to cut
  24. firm — decided

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