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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. net — in sport
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. net — for catching
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. net — after costs
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. bulb — for light
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. bulb — for light

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