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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cell — a phone
  3. saw — the tool
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — rain
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. cell — in biology
  20. firm — a company
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. deal — a big deal

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