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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a dance
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. kick — in football
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ball — a great time
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. race — a contest
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. race — humankind
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cue — a hint
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a signal
  22. race — the arms race
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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