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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — a grade
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bay — a horse colour

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