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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. swing — in golf
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. content — the amount
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. content — happy
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wind — moving air
  15. swing — music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. wind — moving air
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. deal — a big deal

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