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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. tear — from crying
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spring — of water
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. board — a committee
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spring — the season
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. tear — from crying
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tear — to rip
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. spring — a coil
  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