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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. saw — the tool

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