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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. bat — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. deal — to handle
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. charge — in control
  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