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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. content — happy
  5. tube — the underground
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tube — a container
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. content — the amount
  10. bulb — for light
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rule — government
  15. present — a gift
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. key — in music
  20. deal — to handle
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — there

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