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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. band — a ring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. band — a music group

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