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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. kid — child
  3. deal — to handle
  4. foot — a measure
  5. kid — to tease
  6. charge — in control
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. saw — the tool
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. charge — a price
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bear — 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