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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. can — a tin
  4. cap — of ice
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. can — to be able to
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. swing — music
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. can — a tin

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