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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. firm — a company
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chest — a box
  7. firm — decided
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cap — a lid
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chest — of your body
  17. firm — steady
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bat — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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