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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 124 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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — a cake
  4. saw — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. deal — to handle
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. season — in sport
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pass — a permit
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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