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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — after costs
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. file — a line of people
  8. net — in sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. file — a tool
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. file — a document
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. net — for catching
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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