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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. deal — to handle
  4. land — to come down
  5. firm — a company
  6. land — a country
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. land — ground
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. firm — steady
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. drill — army training

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