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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fall — the season
  3. net — in sport
  4. staff — employees
  5. game — a match
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. branch — a division
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. staff — employees
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fall — to drop
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fall — to drop
  23. game — wild animals
  24. branch — of a tree

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