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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's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. shower — to wash
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. cap — a lid
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — the most important part
  9. shower — rain
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pass — a permit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. firm — steady
  15. cap — of ice
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. key — in music
  21. firm — a company
  22. key — for a lock
  23. firm — decided
  24. saw — the tool

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