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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. object — to protest
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — of water
  6. fine — high quality
  7. spring — the season
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. object — an aim
  11. land — a country
  12. fine — all right
  13. kick — in football
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. spring — a coil
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. deal — to handle
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. kick — a thrill

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