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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. track — to keep track
  8. staff — employees
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. hand — help
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. track — a path
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. staff — employees
  18. hand — in cards
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. staff — a stick
  23. date — the fruit
  24. track — a song

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