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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. net — for catching
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. net — in sport
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bound — tied together
  7. tear — to rip
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. staff — employees
  10. current — electric
  11. staff — a stick
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. current — happening now
  17. bound — obliged
  18. current — of water
  19. net — after costs
  20. staff — employees
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bound — certain
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. tear — from crying

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