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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. club — for dancing
  5. kid — to tease
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stand — to bear
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — for money
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pop — soda
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kid — child
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. club — a group
  21. pop — music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. club — for golf

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