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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. fine — all right
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. squash — to crush
  8. firm — steady
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. squash — the sport
  11. firm — a company
  12. shower — rain
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. tube — a container
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. deal — to handle
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. shower — to wash
  22. fork — in a road
  23. firm — decided
  24. fine — high quality

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