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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. deal — to handle
  12. sharp — clever
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. court — of law
  15. present — a gift
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. court — of a king
  18. bore — to tire
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. court — for sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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