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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. spring — a coil
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bank — of a river
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spring — of water
  14. drill — a practice
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. object — an aim
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bank — for money
  21. spring — the season
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. drill — army training

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