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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. game — a match
  5. ball — a great time
  6. root — of a word
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. root — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. game — wild animals
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. firm — steady
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. root — the cause
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. firm — a company

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