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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mug — a cup
  6. last — finally
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. scale — size or range
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. scale — in music
  21. deal — to handle
  22. snap — to click
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. last — final

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