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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cap — a hat
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spring — the season
  5. bound — certain
  6. spring — a coil
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. spring — of water
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fine — all right
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bound — tied together
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bore — to drill

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