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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rest — a break
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — a thing
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. object — to protest
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — a position
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ground — crushed
  22. object — an aim
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rest — what's left

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