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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. band — a ring
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. net — in sport
  10. staff — employees
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. branch — a division
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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