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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. club — for golf
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. clip — for paper
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. club — a group
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — to handle
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. clip — to cut
  21. mark — a trace
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. club — for dancing
  24. clip — a video

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