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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. dip — to sink
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — to handle
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bound — certain
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kick — in football
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. lean — thin
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. sharp — clever

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