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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. deal — to handle
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hand — in cards
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. perch — the fish
  10. hand — help
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — all right
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. object — to protest
  21. fine — high quality
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. object — a thing

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