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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — a weight
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — steady
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bank — of a river
  22. tube — a container
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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