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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. staff — a stick
  6. deal — to handle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — a partner
  9. staff — employees
  10. mate — to breed
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bat — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. kick — in football
  16. staff — employees
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bat — in an idiom

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