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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bound — tied together
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — music
  7. land — to come down
  8. rock — a stone
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. land — a country
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. toast — bread
  14. bound — certain
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bound — obliged
  19. foot — a measure
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. land — ground
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. deal — to handle

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