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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. net — for catching
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. charge — electricity
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. hand — help
  16. drill — army training
  17. charge — a price
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — to recline
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. charge — in control
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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