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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 116 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: bear · deal · pound · stick · ball · bat · safe · mate

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mate — a partner
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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