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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rock — music
  5. staff — a stick
  6. firm — a company
  7. fall — the season
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bat — the animal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. firm — steady
  13. staff — employees
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. firm — decided
  23. staff — employees
  24. bat — for baseball

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