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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rule — government
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hand — help
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hand — in cards
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. row — to paddle
  21. track — a song
  22. row — a line
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rule — a law

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