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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — clothes
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wax — to grow
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bass — low music
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. deal — to handle
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. content — happy

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