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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 120 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. deal — to handle
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cue — a hint
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fine — all right
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cue — for pool
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bore — to tire
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. calf — a young animal

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