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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. firm — a company
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — steady
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — to handle
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. current — happening now
  14. firm — decided
  15. mine — for digging
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lean — thin
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. deal — an agreement

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