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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: can · rush · mark · hide · deal · leaves · cabinet · court

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rush — hurry
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — to handle
  17. can — a tin
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. court — of a king
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hide — animal skin

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