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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rule — government
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cap — a hat
  11. last — to go on
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mug — a face
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. last — final
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — a lid
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. last — finally
  22. rule — a law
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cap — of ice

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