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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bear — the animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stock — goods
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — low music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bass — the fish

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