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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spring — the season
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. spring — a coil
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. roll — a cake
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — a company
  19. spring — of water
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. deal — to handle
  22. tube — the underground
  23. toast — bread
  24. roll — a list

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