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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. roll — a cake
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stand — to bear
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. branch — a division
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. roll — a list
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mug — a face
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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