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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. roll — a list
  4. shower — rain
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. key — for a lock
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. key — the most important part
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. shower — to wash
  16. sharp — clever
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. key — in music
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. roll — a cake
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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