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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. firm — a company
  13. cell — a phone
  14. field — farmland
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. firm — decided
  18. cell — in biology
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. firm — steady
  22. field — for sport
  23. wound — an injury
  24. deal — to handle

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