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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mug — a cup
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mate — a friend
  8. net — for catching
  9. mate — a partner
  10. net — after costs
  11. mug — a face
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mate — to breed
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. mug — to rob
  24. temple — a place of worship

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