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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. drill — a practice
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mug — to rob
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. snap — to click
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mug — a face
  12. drill — the tool
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mug — a cup
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. fine — all right
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. drill — army training
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. deal — to handle
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fine — high quality

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