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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pop — music
  5. chest — of your body
  6. deal — to handle
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. content — the amount
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chest — of your body
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bass — low music
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chest — a box
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. content — happy
  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