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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. firm — decided
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cold — an illness
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rest — a break
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. saw — the tool
  10. deal — to handle
  11. key — in music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. firm — a company
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. key — for a lock
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cold — not warm
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — music
  22. suit — in cards
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. firm — steady

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