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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — a law
  5. bat — the animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cell — a phone
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rule — government
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cell — in biology
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bear — to put up with

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