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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stock — shares
  4. mate — a partner
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — a friend
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — clothes
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stock — goods
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stock — a soup base

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