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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · stick · lean · fine · deal · bulb · nail · date

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lean — thin
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to bend
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rash — a series
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — high quality
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rash — hasty
  17. date — the fruit
  18. deal — to handle
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bulb — of a plant

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