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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. root — of a word
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. row — a line
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. row — to paddle
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — the cause
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. root — of a plant
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. racket — a loud noise

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