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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. row — a line
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. deal — to handle
  6. chip — for betting
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. shower — rain
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. row — to paddle
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. shower — to wash

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