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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rock — a stone
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. spring — the season
  11. rock — music
  12. board — a committee
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — to get on
  15. ball — a dance
  16. spring — of water
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — to handle
  24. chest — a box

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