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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. saw — the tool
  4. deal — to handle
  5. shower — rain
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — music
  12. shower — to wash
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wake — a trail
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bear — the animal

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