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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. band — a ring
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — to handle
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. prune — to trim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. board — a committee
  19. bore — to tire
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pound — a weight
  24. band — a music group

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