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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mug — a cup
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fall — to drop
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mug — a face
  12. fall — to drop
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. date — the fruit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mug — to rob
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. ground — a position
  22. vault — a safe
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fall — the season

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