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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. saw — the tool
  5. band — a music group
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. band — a ring
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fine — high quality
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fine — all right
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bank — of a river
  24. saw — the tool

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