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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. net — in sport
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. cue — for pool
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. row — a line
  8. mark — a grade
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mark — a trace
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. net — for catching
  13. charge — in control
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. kid — child
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. kid — to tease
  20. charge — a price
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. deal — to handle
  23. charge — electricity
  24. net — after costs

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