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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. fine — high quality
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. content — happy
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. fine — all right
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. plane — a tool
  24. content — the amount

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