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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. firm — decided
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. game — wild animals
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. swing — in golf
  15. branch — a division
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. firm — steady
  18. game — a match
  19. swing — music
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. firm — a company
  22. march — the month
  23. swing — to play on
  24. calf — a young animal

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