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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. land — to come down
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pound — a weight
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. deal — to handle
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. land — ground
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. toast — bread
  16. rock — music
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. land — a country

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