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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bound — tied together
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ball — a great time
  7. chest — of your body
  8. ball — a dance
  9. firm — steady
  10. squash — the sport
  11. chest — a box
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bound — obliged
  15. deal — to handle
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rest — a break
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. firm — decided
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bound — certain
  23. rest — what's left
  24. leaves — to go away

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