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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. present — there
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. present — a gift
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bound — obliged
  13. kick — in football
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. present — the time now
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wind — moving air
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — a tool

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