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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — in cards
  9. saw — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. drill — a practice
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. drill — army training
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. suit — clothes
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. deal — to handle

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