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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. roll — a list
  3. content — the amount
  4. firm — steady
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. sharp — clever
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. firm — a company
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. content — happy
  22. firm — decided
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. snap — to click

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