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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rest — a break
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — in a race
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. snap — to click
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rest — what's left
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rest — what's left
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pit — a hole
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. racket — a loud noise

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