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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hand — help
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. deal — to handle
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. kick — in football
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. hand — in cards
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — of a tree

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