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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.

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 · drill · fine · swing · current · chair · wound · bear

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. drill — the tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. chair — a leader
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. bear — the animal
  10. drill — army training
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bear — the animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. wound — an injury
  15. drill — a practice
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — happening now
  18. swing — in golf
  19. current — electric
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. swing — music
  22. wound — an injury
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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