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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. clip — for paper
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — to handle
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. clip — a video
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young animal

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