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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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a great time
  12. tube — the underground
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rock — a stone
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rock — music
  24. deal — to handle

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