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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 124 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. club — for golf
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fine — all right
  10. wax — to grow
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. suit — clothes
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fine — high quality
  18. spell — magic
  19. rush — hurry
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. suit — to fit
  23. spell — letters
  24. pit — in a race

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