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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 116 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — to handle
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bank — for money
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. track — a path
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bank — of a river

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