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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 116 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mug — to rob
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mug — a face
  14. swing — music
  15. season — in sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. season — of the year
  21. mug — a cup
  22. deal — to handle
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. season — to add flavour

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