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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitch — completely
  5. net — in sport
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stem — to come from
  16. rush — hurry
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. net — after costs
  21. fall — to drop
  22. net — for catching
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mate — a partner

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