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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. file — a document
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rash — a series
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. rest — a break
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — a contest
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mine — for digging
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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