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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. deal — to handle
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time

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