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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mug — a face
  5. net — after costs
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. spring — of water
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. spring — the season
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — in sport
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mug — to rob

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