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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. firm — decided
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pop — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. firm — steady
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mark — a grade

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