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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bass — low music
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lie — to recline
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. perch — for a bird

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