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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. firm — a company
  3. rush — hurry
  4. firm — decided
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. firm — steady
  8. drill — army training
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. drill — the tool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. deal — to handle
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stock — shares
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stock — goods
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. drill — a practice

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