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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. prune — to trim
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cell — a phone
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rest — a break
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. prune — to trim

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