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

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pop — soda
  5. court — for sport
  6. lean — thin
  7. court — of law
  8. tube — a container
  9. pop — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — to handle
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pop — to visit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. roll — a list
  19. court — of a king
  20. tube — the underground
  21. roll — a cake
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lean — to rest against

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