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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mug — to rob
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. kid — child
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mug — a cup
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mug — a face
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. kid — to tease
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. deal — an agreement

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