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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cold — not warm
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cold — an illness
  17. wake — a trail
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a hole
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. toast — bread

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