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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. key — for a lock
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. object — a thing
  6. suit — in cards
  7. object — an aim
  8. march — the month
  9. key — the most important part
  10. march — the month
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. suit — clothes
  13. march — music
  14. object — to protest
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. key — in music
  19. pitch — completely
  20. deal — to handle
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pitch — a sports field

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