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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bound — certain
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bound — tied together
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bound — obliged
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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