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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — to tire
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — a lid
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cap — of ice
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — in control
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mate — a partner
  17. charge — a price
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. charge — electricity
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mate — to breed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cap — a hat

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