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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: deal · temple · bay · pitcher · object · cap · mug · nail

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. object — a thing
  8. cap — of ice
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. object — an aim
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mug — a cup
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a face
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mug — to rob
  22. object — to protest
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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