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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ground — the earth
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ground — crushed
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. club — a group
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. fork — in a road
  13. ground — a position
  14. dip — to sink
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. club — for dancing
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. deal — to handle
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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