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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. race — the arms race
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lie — to recline
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bark — to shout

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