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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. drill — a practice
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. deal — to handle
  12. kid — child
  13. sharp — clever
  14. kid — to tease
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — a match
  24. drill — the 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