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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — a path
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. current — electric
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — clever
  15. track — to keep track
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. track — a song

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