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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. foot — a measure
  4. spell — a short time
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. key — for a lock
  7. present — the time now
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bound — certain
  10. present — a gift
  11. squash — the sport
  12. key — the most important part
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. spell — magic
  15. key — in music
  16. bound — obliged
  17. spell — letters
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bound — tied together
  24. present — there

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