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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bore — to drill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. shower — rain
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pop — soda
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pop — music
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bat — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. scale — in music
  24. suit — to fit

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