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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fine — all right
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. season — in sport
  6. deal — to handle
  7. race — a contest
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. staff — employees
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. shower — to wash
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fine — high quality
  17. staff — employees
  18. shower — rain
  19. staff — a stick
  20. race — humankind
  21. can — a tin
  22. race — the arms race
  23. season — of the year
  24. plane — a tool

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