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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. land — a country
  8. swing — music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. land — to come down
  12. staff — a stick
  13. sharp — clever
  14. swing — to play on
  15. land — ground
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stock — goods
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stock — shares
  24. bay — a horse colour

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