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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. can — a tin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. date — the fruit
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. land — ground
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. land — a country
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. land — to come down

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