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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 120 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. staff — employees
  3. bear — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. charge — electricity
  7. staff — a stick
  8. drill — the tool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bore — to tire
  11. charge — in control
  12. bat — the animal
  13. land — to come down
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. land — a country
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. charge — a price
  20. drill — army training
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. land — ground
  23. staff — employees
  24. bear — the animal

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