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

Word bank: charge · deal · drill · straw · pass · perch · fork · firm

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pass — a permit
  3. drill — army training
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. drill — a practice
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. firm — steady
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. perch — the fish
  12. charge — a price
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. deal — to handle
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. drill — the tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. fork — in a road

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