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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — a stone
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. present — the time now
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. deal — to handle
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rock — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rush — hurry
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. present — there
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. present — a gift
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. field — a subject

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