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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. suit — clothes
  6. charge — electricity
  7. saw — the tool
  8. charge — a price
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mate — a friend
  11. charge — in control
  12. deal — to handle
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. suit — to fit
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — music
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. plane — a tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. kid — child
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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