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

Word bank: bay · firm · pop · shower · date · snap · deal · mouse

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. shower — rain
  3. firm — decided
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. firm — steady
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pop — soda
  10. date — the fruit
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. shower — to wash
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. firm — a company
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pop — to visit
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pop — music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mouse — the animal

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