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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. drill — a practice
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. charge — a price
  10. drill — army training
  11. perch — the fish
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. drill — the tool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — in control
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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