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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pit — a hole
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. drill — army training
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spring — a coil
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. present — the time now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spring — the season
  17. pit — in a race
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. drill — a practice
  23. spring — of water
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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