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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bat — the animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. deal — to handle
  12. charge — in control
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — a trace
  20. charge — a price
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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