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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — steady
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. file — a tool
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cue — a signal
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. file — a document
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. file — a line of people
  18. firm — a company

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