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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bound — certain
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rest — a break
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fine — high quality

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