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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. track — a song
  5. ball — a great time
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. swing — in golf
  11. present — the time now
  12. swing — to play on
  13. club — for golf
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. club — a group
  21. swing — music
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. club — for dancing

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