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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — to handle
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. band — a ring
  8. prune — to trim
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. charge — in control
  12. band — a music group
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — in football
  18. prune — to trim
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. charge — a price
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. band — a rubber band

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