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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. band — a music group
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — to bend
  8. band — a ring
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wind — moving air
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wind — moving air
  24. deal — a big deal

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