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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bass — the fish
  8. spring — of water
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rest — a break
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rest — what's left
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wound — an injury
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bass — low music
  21. wound — an injury
  22. spring — the season
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chair — a professorship

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