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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.

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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: present · lie · mouse · kid · safe · key · deal · wind

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kid — child
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — a gift
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. deal — to handle
  13. key — in music
  14. wind — moving air
  15. present — the time now
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. present — there
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. kid — to tease

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