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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. drill — the tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. net — in sport
  5. kid — to tease
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. net — after costs
  10. kick — in football
  11. chip — to eat
  12. kid — child
  13. chip — for betting
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. net — for catching
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. toast — bread
  20. drill — army training
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. drill — a practice

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