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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. key — for a lock
  5. staff — employees
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — in music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. hand — help
  15. staff — a stick
  16. hand — in cards
  17. staff — employees
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. key — the most important part
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hand — part of the body

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