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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · rock · saw · fine · mug · ground · deal · patient

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. last — finally
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mug — to rob
  17. last — final
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mug — a face
  20. last — to go on
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ground — a position

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