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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cap — of ice
  3. land — ground
  4. cap — a hat
  5. deal — to handle
  6. saw — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pop — soda
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. land — to come down
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. land — a country
  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