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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. perch — the fish
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. drill — a practice
  5. toast — bread
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. drill — the tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bound — obliged
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bound — tied together
  15. drill — army training
  16. bound — certain
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — ministers

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