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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. drill — army training
  4. bound — certain
  5. last — finally
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. chip — for betting
  8. drill — the tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bound — tied together
  19. last — final
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. last — to go on

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