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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bound — certain
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. land — to come down
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bound — obliged
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. saw — the tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. patient — a sick person

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