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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 124 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. march — the month
  3. club — for golf
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mark — a grade
  8. march — the month
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. mark — a trace
  13. chair — a leader
  14. club — for dancing
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. deal — to handle
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. club — a group
  22. march — music
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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