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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bound — certain
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. deal — to handle
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rule — government
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bound — obliged
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rule — a law
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bound — tied together
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitch — a sports field

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