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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 120 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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. charge — electricity
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. last — final
  8. wound — an injury
  9. charge — a price
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. last — to go on
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. last — finally
  17. shower — rain
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. charge — in control
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. nail — for a hammer

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