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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fall — the season
  5. drill — a practice
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fall — to drop
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. charge — in control
  11. fall — to drop
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. deal — to handle
  14. drill — the tool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — for catching
  17. shower — to wash
  18. charge — a price
  19. mine — for digging
  20. net — in sport
  21. charge — electricity
  22. net — after costs
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — rain

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