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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. firm — decided
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. land — ground
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. land — a country
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. firm — a company
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. land — to come down
  17. suit — clothes
  18. hand — help
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. hand — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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