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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: tube · staff · drill · ground · deal · spell · bat · object

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ground — the earth
  3. drill — a practice
  4. spell — magic
  5. object — a thing
  6. spell — a short time
  7. tube — a container
  8. bat — the animal
  9. ground — crushed
  10. object — an aim
  11. drill — army training
  12. tube — the underground
  13. ground — a position
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. staff — employees
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. object — to protest
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. drill — the tool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. spell — letters
  22. staff — employees
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bat — in an idiom

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