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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 120 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fine — high quality
  3. foot — a measure
  4. firm — steady
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bear — the animal
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. fine — all right
  15. wound — an injury
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pound — a weight
  20. firm — a company
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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