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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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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: bass · object · hide · deal · mark · rash · foot · rush

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bass — low music
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. object — an aim
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. object — to protest
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. object — a thing
  16. foot — a measure
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bass — the fish

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