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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. cold — not warm
  23. cold — an illness
  24. mouse — the 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