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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. deal — to handle
  5. plane — a tool
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wind — moving air
  8. scale — size or range
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. mate — a friend
  12. date — the fruit
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. present — a gift
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wind — moving air
  19. present — there
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mate — to breed
  22. scale — in music
  23. firm — a company
  24. wind — to turn a key

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