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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. row — to paddle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rash — a series
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. deal — a big deal

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