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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bore — to drill
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — rain
  9. fall — the season
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a dance
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mug — to rob
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. shower — to wash
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mug — a face
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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