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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rest — what's left
  5. board — to get on
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. net — after costs
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. board — a committee
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. net — for catching
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. net — in sport
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pitch — completely
  24. deal — to handle

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