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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. firm — steady
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rest — a break
  5. race — a contest
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. date — the fruit
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. race — humankind
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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