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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.

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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fall — to drop
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mug — to rob
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fall — the season
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fall — to drop

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