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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pop — to visit
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. season — in sport
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chip — to eat
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. chip — for betting
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. shower — to wash
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. shower — rain
  20. pop — music
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. firm — a company
  24. season — of the year

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