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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bound — certain
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rash — hasty
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. toast — bread
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rash — a series
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bound — tied together
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rash — on the skin

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