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

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. present — there
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. present — the time now
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bore — to tire
  18. charge — in control
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. wind — moving air

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